Of Lures and Men

Dear Blogger Family & Friends,

The Pink Crusader sends big hugs and warm greetings via the friendly skies. While I am cruising at a different altitude than most of you, my thoughts are deeply grounded with one and all.

"I wouldn't be surprised if someday some fisherman caught a big shark and cut it open, and there inside was a whole person. Then they cut the person open, and in him is a little baby shark. And in the baby shark there isn't a person, because it would be too small. But there's a little doll or something, like a Johnny Combat little toy guy - something like that."

-Jack Handy

Special treat this week! While the Pink Crusader takes a mini-getaway, my long-standing high school buddy Peter R. Violand, published author and poet, family man, organic gardener and fishing enthusiast, kindly agreed to step in and share an excerpt from his collection of essays entitled "A Fisherman's Journal." Copyright 2007. Cast away and enjoy!

Peter Writes:
Of Lures and Men

It is always my hope that I might tempt a nice speckled trout to attack a top water lure. There is really nothing quite comparable to it in saltwater fishing. That sudden explosion at the waterline. Your lure disappearing beneath the froth. The jolt of electricity up the line, down the rod and into your solar plexus. The release of adrenalin. Then a strategic tug of war as you finesse a pissed off, head-thrashing yellow mouth. And you still might lose him before he’s safely in the net.

I have invested a small fortune in these top waters and multitudes of other artificial lures. For those who are not initiates of this obsessive sport, it’s hard to relate just how addictive these pretty little lures with single, treble, double treble, and sometimes triple treble, hooks, can be. You can't say enough about artificial lures; but that won't stop me.

It has been said by some sarcastic fishing pundit that fishing lures have caught many more fishermen than have caught fish. Mir-O-lures, she-dogs, he-dogs, bone super spooks, Sheldon lures—I've seen big portions of my paycheck invested in them all: these glittering, gaudy, pretty, bedazzling, mass produced miniature works of art. You can see more exotic colors in these top water lures than on a low rider car in Southeast Austin.

Truth is, sometimes I'm reluctant to use them. Because I just know I'm going to scratch it on the jetty, or a big, inconsiderate, toothy trout is going to mar the simonize shine as it attempts to deep six it into its yellow maw. Not to mention what the salt water does to those sharp, shiny treble hooks over time. Okay, I'll mention it: it renders those hooks into a rusty mush in no time. No, better to leave these dazzling $6 gewgaws in your box and tie on an expendable 1/16 oz. wide-gap leadhead jig and a red and white shrimp tail. Who cares if it gets shredded in the million and one ways of the inconsiderate Gulf or bay—snagged on rocks, shells, dragged over sand and scratched by trout tooth.

So just put those top waters back in the box for now. Observe them from time to time, like a collection of rare and precious wine purchased dearly by a covetous connoisseur—not ever to be drunk (Oh God, no!) but to be admired in their pretty bottles, their artsy estate labels a guarantee of snob quality, never to really be experienced or, perhaps, to be used…only…not quite yet. Not today. Maybe tomorrow. Oh God, the agony of indecision!—and so many to choose from!

And to think that it was years after I began fishing at the coast before I began to use artificial's. Used to just put a dead shrimp on a hook. As fate would have it, I ran out of dead shrimp on the Bob Hall pier one day. There was this guy fishing next to me who kept hauling ‘em up. His name was Scooter, lived in Rockport, was 20 but looked 70, worked the head boats when he could, cleaned fish at the Dolphin Docks occasionally. Scooter had greasy blond hair, several front teeth missing, smoked camel filter-less and ALWAYS had a can of Busch beer in hand. He gave me an ugly little lure, what I now know to be a root beer flake Kelly wiggler shrimp tail on a leadheaded jig. I caught three trout in a row, not a hardhead catfish among ‘em. The lure hooked the fish and the lure hooked me. My wallet has never really recovered from that initial exposure.

This whole thing about lures can drive one to utter distraction. After all, which is the right lure to use? At last count there were approximately 326 quadrillion fishing lures from which the serious angler could choose. And those are just saltwater lures at Cabela’s! Among this confusing cornucopia of jigs and plugs, one needs to be able to distinguish between slabs and spoons, sinkers and floaters, hard and soft bodies…you get the point. The list is endless, man. And it is at this point, I offer a little maxim I once heard a Bass Master utter in complete seriousness. It may be of some help: If it ain’t chartreuse, it ain’t no use

Simple. Catchy. Poetic even. But I’ve added to it, in my own way, via Jerry Lee Lewis: If it ain’t chartreuse, it ain’t no use
Be-bop-a-doo-wop
And a long neck goose

Nonetheless, given as I am to that peculiar trait that afflicts most fishermen—superstition and a high degree of suggestibility—my tackle box turned chartreuse over night. And just a day before, I had no idea what a chartreuse was. I thought it might be lumped in with the other fruity colors, such as mauve, or fuchsia.

But seriously, chartreuse does work. And so do red and plum-treuse and fire-tiger and motor-oil with gold flake and, last but not least, New Penny and Nuclear Chicken. Hell, they all work. I know this to be so, because I have purchased every single one of them, these Kelly wigglers, bass assassins, Texas trout factory soft plastics, DOA shrimp, ad infinitum. Just don’t tell my wife. I’ve been getting down on her about obsessions with shoes and house projects. I may be a hypocrite but I don’t see any reason to inform her of that fact.

My point is: All lures work sooner or later. Given an infinite time horizon, sooner or later every lure will catch a fish in any given water and weather condition. This is only dimly understood by the novice fisherman. The problem is, we mere mortals do not have an infinite time horizon.

In summation, let us seek to simplify the situation, cut the fishing Gordian knot of trying to decide which lure(s) — Oh God, the indecision! — to buy before our next trip to the coast. But even here we have two choices.Hey, can I help it if this is America, land of limitless choices! If you simply cannot stand the idea of attempting to pick the perfect lure from a galaxy of possible wrong choices, then I suggest you do your fishing in backwater places like Albania, or Bulgaria or Chechnya. A bloody worm and a rusty old hook for you, comrade!But for those of us who fish in real first world countries like Port Arkansas, Sea Drift or Port O’Connor, here are your two choices:

1)A gold, or silver, or copper Johnson sprite, hopefully weedless, single hook, possibly with a buck tail. How could you even begin to argue the wisdom of this choice, given the likes of Rudy Grigar and Russell Tinsley, both of whom weighed in on this choice as their go-to lure in most conditions. You want to argue with the fishing Jeddi masters?

Or,

2)Buy all the lures you can get your hands on! If you are rich, buy all at once, take them home, dump them on the carpet and dive in and out of them like a porpoise (like Scrooge McDuck did with his money). Note: watch out for those hooks. If not rich, just go to Cabela’s or Academy every couple days and buy a few. Sometimes there will be sales and they will be cheaper. It’s been known to happen. Think of it this way, you’re investing in a Fishing Lure Mutual Fund: dollar cost averaging in lures. Sometimes the cost of lures will be up, sometimes down — so that over time, you can actually make money by purchasing them. It’s like magic, and there are no hidden management fees.
Pete Violand, June ‘07

Personal Note:
So that's how men spend their money! Many, many thanks to "Pete" for sharing his humorous take on fishing as well as life. You will also be able to read Pete's written contribution to, "The Faces behind Breast Cancer," and meet him in person at the Launch Party and fund raising event on Sunday, August 26, 2007.

FYI:

From Marika Rafte: Pink De Tour 2007
Hello, It’s that time of year again…I am getting ready for Tour de Pink 2007.

My name is Marika Rafte. I am the daughter of Susan (Weiner) and Alan Rafte.
Like I have done the past two years, I am again raising funds for my involvement in Tour de Pink 2007.

At the first ride in 2005, I raised over $7,500 and rode 23 miles with my dad. Last year, I met my goal of $10,000 by raising $10,307 and riding again 23 miles with both my mom and dad. This year I decided to make 13 the number of the year: I am 13 years old, my mom will celebrate 13 years as a survivor and I have set my goal to raise $13,000! Although not at all related to 13, I am going to ride the 47 mile course this year.

I hope you will join me in helping me reach my goal or join me on your bike and set your own goals for Tour de Pink 2007. If you would like to read more or make a contribution on line go to my personal page, click this address: http://www.tourdepink.org/site/TR?px=1005501&pg=personal&fr_id=1060

If you would like to get more information about the ride or join our team – Pink Panthers - , go to www.tourdepink.org . To join our team, start your own team, join another team, volunteer or find me as a participant, go to the upper right hand corner of the home page click on your choice and follow the instructions.

If you would rather make a donation by check you can make it payable to Pink Ribbons Project and mail it to: Marika Rafte, c/o Pink Ribbons Project, 1210 W. Clay #26, Houston, Texas 77019. Thanks for your help! Marika Rafte

From Cheryl Donlin: "Drive-through Mastectomies"
As I was researching inflammatory breast cancer for our radio show on June 12, I came across this site: http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php. If you click on "more information" you'll get the full story. Needless to say, I was deeply disturbed by the concept of "drive-through" mastectomies and felt moved to sign the petition. The bill (H.R. 119) was introduced on Jan. 4, 2007. I checked on govtrack.us and didn't find that it had been either passed or killed. It was first introduced in 2005 (the year of my mastectomy) and then reintroduced in 2007, so I'm assuming it's still alive. I thought your readers might be interested in this.

From Donna Fong: CancerWise cancerwise@mdanderson.org
I always find this to be very informative and keeps me up-to-date on the state-of-the art treatments at M. D. Anderson Cancer Clinic. If you have not previously subscribed to this publication from MDA, you can do so by going to:
https://www2.mdanderson.org/sapp/cancerwise/new_cancerwise/subscribe.cfm

DAILY REMINDER:
"Fund Free Mammograms"
Go to The Breast Cancer Site at http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/EEB_0115_BCSm
and help fund free mammograms for the homeless, working-poor, and un-insured women. It costs nothing to you, except one daily click on the pink "Fund Free Mammograms" button. You can even request automatic reminders via e-mail. Please make your free click now, and thanks for your continuing support! The Breast Cancer Site, One Union Square, 600 University Street, Suite 1000, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: 1-888-811-5271

UPCOMING EVENTS: Mark Your Calendars and Save the Dates!

Pink Ribbons Project Hosts Radio Show
Pink Ribbons Project will host an Open Journal show on Inflammatory Breast Cancer
on KPFT 90.1 FM on Tuesday, June 12, from noon to 1:00 pm.
The show will be hosted by Executive Director Susan Rafte, along with
co‐host and Board Member Cheryl P. Donlin.

Guests on the show will include Dr. Tom Buchholz, M.D., a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at M. D. Andersonʹs Nellie B. Connally Breast Center and an integral member of the IBC Clinic medical team at MD Anderson; Jenee Bobbora, a thirty‐six year old, 4‐year survivor of inflammatory breast cancer,
and a mother and wife who has devoted many volunteer hours to creating the
newly‐developed IBC clinic at MDACC;and Patty Jennings, a 2‐1/2 year breast cancer survivor, mother of five children,executive director of the New Mexico medical insurance pool,and advocate for adults with mental disabilities,
mandating mammogram coverage for women with insurance. Most recently she worked to get the New Mexico legislature to approve $3.3 million for IBC research,in collaboration with MDACC. For more information, visit www.pinkribbons.org,or call 713‐524‐PINK (7465).

SOS No-Host Summer Luncheon
We are trying a new place called "Johnny Rocket," @12:30 on Wednesday, June 13. This fun, juke box jumping, rockin' to the oldies restaurant is located in Town Center, Sugar Land. Turn off of Highway 6 on to Town Center. We have reservations for our group If you are interested in attending, please call or email Marsha (281.431.0700 or marshayeager@yahoo.com).Deadline for RSVP is Monday, June 11.

Rosebuds II Meetings
(For those who have had or are at high risk
for recurrence and/or metastasis)
2nd and 4th Thursday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
JUNE 14 & 28
www.RosebudsSupport.org

The Memorial Hermann Cancer Center Seminar
Memorial City will host a free seminar on women's cancer on June 16. The program, on early diagnosis and treatment, will include interactive discussions with specialists on staff at the center.

The seminar will be from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm at the Marriott Houston Westchase, 2900 Briarpark. A continental breakfast and box lunch will be provided. To register, call 713.222.2273.

Rosebuds Meetings
Open to all Breast Cancer Patients/Survivors
1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
JUNE 19

The Alice Thomsen Lymphedema Awareness Group of Houston
Meetings are scheduled on the 3rd Tuesday of every other month at the American cancer Society Building,6301 Richmond (between Hillcroft and Fountainview) at 7:00pm. The 2007 dates are July 17th, September 18 and November 20th.
For further information call 281-546-6438.

2007 Komen Survivor Party
August 22, at The Houstonian
Details to be announced in future posts.

"The Faces behind Breast Cancer" Launch Party
Sunday August 26, at 1:00 pm.
Marriott Westchase, Houston
Details posted in May 27th Blog. See Archive.

Living Fully
M.D. Anderson Annual Conference
September 6-8 2007
Marriott Westchase - Houston, Texas

Tour De Pink 2007
Pink Ribbons Project
September 9, 2007
at Prairie View A&M University
www.tourdepink.org

2007 Breast Health Summit
"SAVE THE DATE" for the 2007 Breast Health Summit to be held on October 18, 2007 at the United Way in Houston. Please pass this information on to others who may be interested. Additional information will be sent out later by both e-mail and postal mail. And of course, if your mailing address has changed, please be sure to forward the updated information to me. I look forward to seeing you in October!
Pat Dames
The Rose-
12700 North Featherwood
Houston, TX 77034
281-464-5150
Fax 281-484-7083
pdames@the-rose.org
www.the-rose.org

"Sharing is Caring"
As always, The Pink Crusader welcomes your comments, stories, poems, and events. Posts are updated every Sunday. Please send your written contributions to thepinkcrusader1@aol.com.

"The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore."

-Vincent van Gogh

Until next week, stay well, stay strong, and keep on dancing, but don't rock the boat!

Love, Josie
The Pink Crusader
thepinkcrusader1@aol.com